Star Trek: Picard won’t be done with the Trek franchise after Picard ends.
Star Trek: Picard is very much set up to be the end of the run for many of the Legacy characters involved with the franchise currently. Just about everyone with the Next Generation crew will be saying some sort of goodbye when the show wraps up. While there aren’t any confirmed character deaths yet, many believe Jean-Luc Picard could be killed off, ending Patrick Stewart’s time with the franchise after nearly 40 years.
Another character many are worried about is William Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes. Riker may be another character that bites it in the end, but even if he does, Frakes isn’t going anywhere. While Frakes is already serving as director for the Lower Decks and Strange New Worlds crossover event, he’s got a full list of work ahead of him.
As he told TrekMovie.com, after Picard is over, he’s booked to direct even more Star Trek properties.
"I’m booked to direct an episode for season 3 of Strange New Worlds. And I’m hoping—if I don’t screw up—to get on the rotation on the Academy show."
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy needs Jonathan Frakes
For many people, including Jonathan Frakes in the creative aspect of the franchise, is a no-brainer, as he did oversea and directed one of the greatest Trek films ever, First Contact. Having him have a hand in things would only help legitimize a show like Starfleet Academy.
Frakes’ involvement will surely keep fans interested in the property, and the content may be a good way to bring in new fans. Certain shows serve as a natural jumping-in point for a franchise. Shows like The Original Series, The Next Generation, Voyager, Enterprise, and Prodigy distance themselves enough from wider continuity to allow new fans to jump in, without disrupting larger stories.
Starfleet Academy could serve to do the same thing.